HUMANITARIAN

Technology, Materials & Processes

3D LifePrints use of 3D technology

3D LifePrints has to 3D print in extremely challenging environmental conditions, in some of the world’s poorest countries. This means many additional factors need to be taken into consideration when choosing appropriate technology, including:

Lack of constant or stable power (outages from 30 seconds to 3 days)

Fluctuating power meaning high burn out rate of hardware

Dusty environments

High humidity levels

Security aspects

Lack of internet connectivity

High cost of shipping and customs

Lack of locally available machines and spare parts

Long lead times for repairs

A need to remotely control machines

Portability of machines

A need to be relatively in-expensive (often cheaper to buy new than to ship to repair)

Rugged in nature (and modular from an electronic component perspective)

Materials

For many years 3D LifePrints used a satisfactory flexible FDM using TPU, in two skin colours for the LifeArm. However, although this material printed well on the majority of our printer fleet, we found it had a number of limitations:

The two colours were not very applicable to human skin colours of people in developing countries

Had a high moisture absorption rate meaning after 6 months in a humid location the layers started to de-bond

Was not medically certified

Would deform under higher Direct sunlight conditions as well as experiencing colour fading

We decided to start to make our own filament, and our partners Murex 3D developed Puros-l, a first-of-kind FDM 3D filament.

Speak to our experts

3D LIfePrints have provided us with an innovative and versatile product. The designed and printed models of UXO and landmines are to scale and look very realistic. This has been hugely helpful in our efforts to educate communities in Syria effected by explosive remnants of war on the dangers associated by them

Luke Irving, COO, Mayday Rescue NGO, Istanbul

Discussing 3DLP's supply of mine risk education models

The LifeArm by 3D LifePrints is the only low-cost, 3D-printed prosthetic in the world that is worth testing right now. It is the only anthropomorphic 3D-printed prosthetic and the only one actually built to be suitable to the vast majority of amputees